Monday, Jul 21, 2008

TWG - July 21, 2008

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TWG - July 21, 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Leviticus7; Psalm 58; Acts 15:1-21

Today is July 21, this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. Together we are strong. As we walk though the word together we help each other grow.

The week is over and no, I am not the “faster pastor.” I did go to the Douglas County Speedway on Saturday and “Mad Dog Dennis” raced his heart out against 16 other pastors. It was a blast. By the “luck of the draw” I got a mini van! What’s that about! I took second in my heat, but in the finals, it wasn’t even a contest. The van was gutless! I gave her all she could take and there was just no catching those faster pastors. I took 5th. I did however have some exciting moments, almost colliding with “Rowdy Ruyle” from Melrose Church, and a couple of power slides on corner 2! Mike told me that I was the “crowd favorite!” I put a picture of me in the car on the Blog at http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com. Check it out.

This week’s theme verse is 2 Peter 1:5-10 giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble

I have all kinds of pithy sayings about work like, “I love hard work! I could sit and watch someone work hard all day long!” And “hard work never killed anyone” (I’m not sure that one is true), and “hard work can be defined as a lot of little jobs left undone.” I admire people who are hard workers, and I have a low estimation of those who aren’t. In fact, I have to admit a bias: I kind of look down my nose at those who are lazy! Maybe I’m a bit partial because the Bible encourages such a strong work ethic and because I like to work with people I can depend on to do their job! I bet you have some of those feelings too. But how is your work ethic when it comes to your faith? Do you “work at faith?” Remember Faith alone without Works is “saving faith.” But Faith is never alone. True Faith – works. 2 Peter 1:5 informs us that we should “work hard” to add to our faith… Diligence is an important component to the Christian life. Imagine that Faith is equivalent to getting hired to a new job… call it “God’s Company.” It does take faith on both sides; you have to have faith that the company is solvent and will pay you, the company has to have faith that you will make a good employee. Being an employee has its benefits; good pay, insurance and retirement (we hope). But now that you are an employee, the question is what kind of employee are you going to be in “God’s Company?” Can the other employees depend on you to do your job? Do you show up on time, prepared and ready to work? Are you easy to get along with or are you “the employee from hell” that the rest of us hate to work with? Do you make every attempt to improve your skill set and your leadership abilities so that you are more valuable to the company? God’s kingdom is “the company.” We are his servants, his employees. There is work to be done. God intends that we be diligent at it. The idea here is that we are quick to do our duty, we are in earnest and serious about doing God’s work, and we do it carefully and thoroughly. All this talk of work makes me wonder… if you were getting paid in cash to do God’s Work, would you live your Christian life any different than you do now? Money talks! Raise my wages and I’ll work harder! How do you get better wages than rewards in heaven? I don’t know. All I know is this: As a Pastor, I’m paid to be good. The rest of you are good for nothing! 

Dear Lord Jesus. You are my Lord, my boss. I choose to obey you. Give me your orders and I will follow them. I have signed up to work hard with all my heart, attitude and all that I have. Forgive me for slacking off on company time. I love working and living for Jesus!

You are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people." Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you." "I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty."

Posted by Dennis Kreiss at 10:47 AM |  MAKE A COMMENT  

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